Toothbrush



A. PLETMAN TOOTHBRUSH Nov. 6, 1923. 1,473,357

Filed Oct. 23. 1922 Patented Nov. 6, 1923.

UNITED ATE ABRAHAM PLETMAN, or scnnnncranv, New YORK.

TOOTHBRUSH.

Application filed October 23 T0011 whom it may concern:

Be it, known that I, ABRAHAM PLETMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Schenectady. in the county of Schenectady and State of New York, have invented certain 'new and useful Improvements in Toothbrushes, of which the following is a specification. I y This invention relates to dental iapplii0 ances, and more especially to a combined ,tooth brush and mirror and has for one of its objects to provide an appliance which may be readily employed for either cleaning the teeth or permitting the examination of the same.

A further object of the invention is to provide an efiicient connection between the.

mirror and the tooth brush wherebythe said mirror may be readily detached from an old brush and attached'to a new one, or steri lized' in a suitable'medium." p v A still further object of the invention isto provide a device of the character described which will be simple in construction, comparatively inexpensive to manufacture, and more efficient in use than those which have been heretofore proposed.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description procoeds, the invention consists in the novel details of construction and combinations of. parts more fully hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawing in which like numerals designate like parts in all the views:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a tooth brush and mirror constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view, partly in section, of the upper portion of the tooth brush handle showing the mirror in its open position;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional of the parts shown in Fi Fig. 4 is a view sim plan view rar-to Fig. 3 of a slightly modified form of connection; and, ig. 5 is a view similar to Figs. 3 and 4,

of a still further modified form of connection.

In the said drawings, numeral 5 desig-' nates the handle portion of a tooth brush of anydesired construction which is provided upon one end with the usual bristles 6.

. said pin.

, 1922'. Serial No. 596,490.

The other end of the handle portion 5 is reduced or cut away, as indicated at 7 (see Fig. 3) to receive a metallic socket member 8 which rigidly carries a sleeve 9 adapted to constitute one member of a hinge The other member of the said hinge takes the form of a companion sleeve 10 which is rigidly carried by a suitable plate 11 to which is secured, in any preferred manner, a mirror or other reflecting surface 12.

The adjacent ends of the sleeve members 9 andlO are referably serrated, as indicated at 13-,fand es through the bores of the said sleeves 9 and 10, as is clearly indicated in Fig. 3. The said pin 14 is preferably provided with an elongated .head 15, which is [seated in a socket or recess 16 with which the sleeve member 10 is provided whereby the said head may be substantially flush with the edges of the handle 5 and the plate 11, while at the same time reventing 'the turning of the he other end of the said pin is preferably threaded as indicated at 17, and is rovided with a suit-able thumb nut 18 .for' holding the parts in their adjusted positions, as will be readily apparent. Both the handle 5 and the plate 11 are cut away so as to form a sunken space for the thumb nut 18, as shown, which will make it flush with the edge of the brush, and the pin '14 is flush with the said nut when the hinge parts are in a tightened position.

The upper end of the handle-member is further provided with a cut away portion 19 so that its thickness is reduced to accommodate the said plate 11 and reflecting surface 12 when the latter are folded down from the positions illustrated in 'Figs. 1, 2 and 3 to be substantially flush with the remainder of the handle.

When using the appliance as a tooth brush the mirror 12 may occupy its closed position in the cut away space 19, but when it is desired to examine the teeth the thumb nut 18 may be loosened sufficiently to permit of the disengagement of the teeth of serrations 13, whereby the said mirror may be swung upwardly about'the pin 14 as a pivot to any desired osition," as indicated in Fig. 2. The thum nut 18 may then be again tightened thus holdin its adjusted position. Should the bristles 6 of the brush beco e1. worn to such an extent as to take their a hinge pin or bolt 14 passg the mirror in further use impossible, the mirror 12, late 11, hinge member '10, the pin 14, an the thumb nut 18, ma be removed and a new tooth brush, carrying an attached socket 8 and hinge member 9, may be secured, and

attached to the old mirror parts. If the mirror is destroyed, the same attachment maybe made by securing a new mirror 12 plate 11, hinge member 10, pin 14 an thumb nut 18, and attaching them to the old brush, having the socket 8 and hinge member 9. This makes the brush and mirror independent of each other.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. l the upper portion of the handle 5 is provided with a metallic socket 21, which may be'permanently secured within the end of the said handle 5.- The said socket member 21 is provided with a threaded bore 22, which is adapted to receive the threaded stud 23 with which the plate member 11 is provided in this instance.

Of course, in this form the mirror 12 may not be folded down a ainst the upper portion of the brush han le, as was the case in the other form, but always maintains the position illustrated in the said Fig. 4 However, the said reflecting portion may be readily removed and attached to a new brush when the first brush has worn out.

The form of the invention shown in Fig. i

5 is substantially the same as that shown in Fig; l, except that the socket member 21 is omitted, the threads which are adapted to receive the thread stud 23 being cut directly in the handle 5.

It will thus be seen that all forms of this invention provide an eflicient means for examining and caring for the teeth, which will enable the layman to readily examine the teeth and quickly determine the presence prising arass? What is claimed is 1. A device of the class described comprisi a tooth brush havin a handle, a

"reflecting surface and a readily detachable connection between said surface and the end of said handle opposite the brush portion, both said brush and said reflecting surface being adapted to be used while interconnected.

2. A device of the class described coma tooth brush having a handle, a reflecting surface and a readily detachable pivotal connection between said surface and the end of said brush opposite the brush portion, both said brush and said reflecting surface being adapted to be used while interconnected.

3. A device of the class described-comprising a tooth brush having a handle provided at its end with a cutaway portion and with a further reduced portion, a refleeting surface, and a connection between said reflecting surface and said handle comprising a hinge, a portion of which is carried by a socket member adapted to fit over and tjo engage said reduced portionof saidhandle;

dJA dentalappliance comprising a reflecting ,-surface a support for said surface provided with a Sleeve constituting a hinge member, a second sleeve co-acting with said first sleeve'to form a hinge, and said second sleeve being provided with means for read.- ily 'attachin'fg'and detaching the parts to the handle of the tooth brush;

5. A dental appliance lcomprising a refleeting surface, a support for said surface, the said support being provided with a' sleeve constituting a hinge member, a second sleeve adapted to co-act with said first sleeve to constitute a hinge, the adjacent surfaces of said sleeves being provided with registering serrations, said secondsleeve being also provided with a socket member whereby it may be readily attached and detached from the handle of a tooth brush, a hinge pin passing through said sleeves, and means carried by said pin 'for causing said serrations to positively engage to hold said reflecting surface in any esired position.

a RAHAM PLET s 

